Açorda de Camarão

Step 1

Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large pot and place it over medium-high heat for 90 seconds until the oil shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pot.

Step 2

Add the 3 sliced garlic cloves to the hot oil and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the kitchen smells strongly of garlic and the slices turn light golden.

Step 3

Add the 0.5 lb of shrimp to the pot and stir occasionally for 3 minutes until the shrimp turn bright pink and opaque throughout, with no gray remaining.

Step 4

Pour in the 4 cups of broth and bring it to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, which should take about 2 minutes—you'll see large bubbles rapidly breaking the surface.

Step 5

Add the 3 cups of torn bread pieces to the pot and stir gently for 2 minutes until the bread begins to soften and absorb the broth, creating a thick, soupy base.

Step 6

Reduce the heat to medium-low and create two small wells in the bread mixture by pushing it to the sides with your spoon, then crack one egg into each well.

Step 7

Simmer gently for 4 minutes until the egg whites turn opaque white and set, but the yolks remain soft when you tap the surface gently with the spoon.

Step 8

Remove the pot from heat and ladle the soup into two bowls, ensuring each bowl gets one egg, plenty of shrimp, and an equal share of the broth and bread.